Mark Zuckerberg's new challenge: Eating only what he kills (and yes, we do mean literally...)

By Patricia Sellers May 26, 2011: 2:29 PM ET

Last year Mark Zuckerberg set out to learn Chinese. Now he's determined to get in touch with his food. If the goats, lobsters and chickens of Silicon Valley aren't trembling, they should be.
Mark Zuckerberg's new plan: Eat what you kill

The eyes of a hunter.

When he's not too busy connecting people across the universe, Mark Zuckerberg is pursuing a new "personal challenge," as he calls it. "The only meat I'm eating is from animals I've killed myself," says the Facebook founder and CEO.

It's an odd dietary direction for the 27-year-old Internet billionaire, but since he has taken to killing goats, pigs and chickens, "I'm eating a lot healthier foods. And I've learned a lot about sustainable farming and raising of animals," he says. "It's easy to take the food we eat for granted when we can eat good things every day."

Zuckerberg's new goal came to light, not surprisingly, on Facebook. On May 4, Zuckerberg posted a note to the 847 friends on his private page: "I just killed a pig and a goat."

This drew a stream of emotional comments, which were a mixture of confusion, curiosity, and outright disgust. Zuckerberg posted his own comment in response, explaining that he fixates on a personal challenge each year (in 2009, he wore a tie every day), and this year's is about animals and meat.

Zuckerberg's guide on this strange journey has been a well-known Silicon Valley chef named Jesse Cool. She lives in Palo Alto, eight houses away from Zuckerberg, and owns a local restaurant called Flea Street Café. Cool has introduced Zuckerberg to nearby farmers and advised him as he killed his first chicken, pig, and goat. "He cut the throat of the goat with a knife, which is the most kind way to do it," says Cool.

Killing is just the kickoff. After that, the dead creatures go to a butcher in Santa Cruz, who cuts them into parts. Zuckerberg and his longtime girlfriend, Priscilla, have been cooking what he slaughters, eating what many people would not dare consume. He recently ate a chicken, including the heart and liver, and used the feet to make stock. He posted a photo of the bird on his Facebook page, along with a list of the dishes he made from it.

CNN (http://postcards.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/2011/05/26/mark-zuckerbergs-new-challenge-eating-only-what-he-kills/)
Next we'll have him live on facebook choking the chicken ?

Gingersnap

05-27-2011, 09:36 AM

Next we'll have him live on facebook choking the chicken ?

Well, if that happens, somebody will Tweet it. :D

megimoo

05-27-2011, 09:41 AM

Well, if that happens, somebody will Tweet it. :D
That one would need live streaming video .

Gingersnap

05-27-2011, 11:17 AM

That one would need live streaming video .

Not for me.

Novaheart

05-27-2011, 11:18 AM

I participated in the chicken slaughter and cleaning when I was a kid. I guess it was supposed to be one of those farm kid learn to see farm animals as food lessons.... but frankly I can't say that I benefited in any way other than to have yet another story in my strange and varied life. I never thought of chickens as pets in the first place. I have always thought of them as stupid filthy creatures, which magically become delicious after someone else does the dirty work.

Now that I'm on a medical diet, I not supposed to eat meat, which works out OK because I can't have salt.

I don't know if anyone else has experienced this, but when I was on Medifast for 16 weeks, I got to the point where the grocery store smelled disgusting.

jendf

05-27-2011, 11:20 AM

Whatever rocks his boat, I guess.

Is this what billionaires do? Sit around all day and dream up stupid "personal challenges" like this one?

Novaheart

05-27-2011, 11:24 AM

Whatever rocks his boat, I guess.

Is this what billionaires do? Sit around all day and dream up stupid "personal challenges" like this one?

Is it just me, or does this guy come off as a total dork?

Gingersnap

05-27-2011, 11:32 AM

I participated in the chicken slaughter and cleaning when I was a kid. I guess it was supposed to be one of those farm kid learn to see farm animals as food lessons.... but frankly I can't say that I benefited in any way other than to have yet another story in my strange and varied life. I never thought of chickens as pets in the first place. I have always thought of them as stupid filthy creatures, which magically become delicious after someone else does the dirty work.

Now that I'm on a medical diet, I not supposed to eat meat, which works out OK because I can't have salt.

I don't know if anyone else has experienced this, but when I was on Medifast for 16 weeks, I got to the point where the grocery store smelled disgusting.

I've also done the executing and prepping of chickens as a kid and I expect there's more of that in my future once Project Chicken gets off the ground next year. My husband still believes that we can maintain a Chicken Retirement Home for unproductive layers.

*shakes head*

I've never been on that kind of diet but I'm a picky eater on my own time and from time to time I go through phases where I'm repelled by some food smells. It lasts a couple of weeks and then I'm fine again.

Out of curiosity - did the diet work? Would you advise it for others (I'm thinking instead of bariatric surgery here)?

jendf

05-27-2011, 11:34 AM

Is it just me, or does this guy come off as a total dork?

I've never seen an actual interview with him. My impression is based solely on Jesse Eisenberg's interpretation. And yes, he seems to be a dorky, anti-social douchebag. :D

megimoo

05-27-2011, 11:41 AM

I've never seen an actual interview with him. My impression is based solely on Jesse Eisenberg's interpretation. And yes, he seems to be a dorky, anti-social douchebag. :DHe's just a young kid with too much money and nothing to do !

Novaheart

05-27-2011, 12:02 PM

I've also done the executing and prepping of chickens as a kid and I expect there's more of that in my future once Project Chicken gets off the ground next year. My husband still believes that we can maintain a Chicken Retirement Home for unproductive layers.

*shakes head*

I've never been on that kind of diet but I'm a picky eater on my own time and from time to time I go through phases where I'm repelled by some food smells. It lasts a couple of weeks and then I'm fine again.

Out of curiosity - did the diet work? Would you advise it for others (I'm thinking instead of bariatric surgery here)?

My last blood work was better in some ways and worse in others (these numbers vary from day to day and lab to lab) , but overall my nephrologist is cautious but considers me stable. The best sign is that my appointments are getting farther apart. I'm still scared.

Going on the "low" salt diet caused e to automatically lose 15 pounds and it wasn't water because I am also pushing water. Because every processed food is loaded with salt, I have eliminated fast food and my frequent Bot Banh Bao lunches. I keep my sodium intake below 2000mg now, and I write everything down. Keeping a food diary is a time tested weight loss tool, as is weighing yourself every day, writing down the weight, and reporting your weight to another person.

BTW, I read that part of my kidney damage may be the result of high protein diet, and I have also been a binge no-carb-diet weight loser in the past.

I'm not familiar with the details of modern bariatric surgery, but I can tell you that the old surgery (the bypass) worked initially by giving you diarrhea, creating malnutrition, and eventually regulating your food intake for fear of using public restrooms (bad odor and massive gas). In essence, the old bypass procedure worked by making you sick and making it so you only ate in the evening at home.

I actually like the basic design of Weight Watchers, ie food diary and accountability. It really helps to know that on Wednesday morning you are going to get on a scale and someone else will write down your weight.

My objections to Weight Watchers is mostly in their style.

 They talk about food constantly, and in a childish "Oooh I was bad." or "Oooh I want to eat some of that." way.

 They weigh you on a blind scale, an the clerk writes your weight down so no one else will hear it. What is this? The Lucy Show? Your weight is not something to be ashamed of, it's not something to keep a secret because your bitchy girlfriends at bridge club will titter, frankly the whole thing is rather auto-misogynistic.

 There is no actual group benefit to the structure. Everyone should take turns announcing his weight, and loss or gain for the week. Instead, they talk about who has the best hundred calorie brownie.

Gingersnap

05-27-2011, 12:37 PM

My last blood work was better in some ways and worse in others (these numbers vary from day to day and lab to lab) , but overall my nephrologist is cautious but considers me stable. The best sign is that my appointments are getting farther apart. I'm still scared.

Going on the "low" salt diet caused e to automatically lose 15 pounds and it wasn't water because I am also pushing water. Because every processed food is loaded with salt, I have eliminated fast food and my frequent Bot Banh Bao lunches. I keep my sodium intake below 2000mg now, and I write everything down. Keeping a food diary is a time tested weight loss tool, as is weighing yourself every day, writing down the weight, and reporting your weight to another person.

BTW, I read that part of my kidney damage may be the result of high protein diet, and I have also been a binge no-carb-diet weight loser in the past.

I'm not familiar with the details of modern bariatric surgery, but I can tell you that the old surgery (the bypass) worked initially by giving you diarrhea, creating malnutrition, and eventually regulating your food intake for fear of using public restrooms (bad odor and massive gas). In essence, the old bypass procedure worked by making you sick and making it so you only ate in the evening at home.

I actually like the basic design of Weight Watchers, ie food diary and accountability. It really helps to know that on Wednesday morning you are going to get on a scale and someone else will write down your weight.

My objections to Weight Watchers is mostly in their style.

 They talk about food constantly, and in a childish "Oooh I was bad." or "Oooh I want to eat some of that." way.

 They weigh you on a blind scale, an the clerk writes your weight down so no one else will hear it. What is this? The Lucy Show? Your weight is not something to be ashamed of, it's not something to keep a secret because your bitchy girlfriends at bridge club will titter, frankly the whole thing is rather auto-misogynistic.

 There is no actual group benefit to the structure. Everyone should take turns announcing his weight, and loss or gain for the week. Instead, they talk about who has the best hundred calorie brownie.

Interesting. I wondered about the Medifast because yet another person at work had bariatric surgery last Fall and she's stalled out now. I always thought it was ironic that weight loss surgery is considered "good" but anorexia, bulimia, and crazy food restriction is considered "bad". It looks to me like the same exact thing, at least initially.

I follow a primarily low-carb diet but I'm sure it's mostly a high fat diet if I ever broke the numbers down. I eat avocado every day and a lot of fatty fish, dairy, etc. I just don't eat a lot of starch compared to other people. If I bike a lot, I have to eat more or I lose weight but I just eat more of the same; I don't scarf down ice cream constantly.

noonwitch

05-27-2011, 01:35 PM

Interesting. I wondered about the Medifast because yet another person at work had bariatric surgery last Fall and she's stalled out now. I always thought it was ironic that weight loss surgery is considered "good" but anorexia, bulimia, and crazy food restriction is considered "bad". It looks to me like the same exact thing, at least initially.

I follow a primarily low-carb diet but I'm sure it's mostly a high fat diet if I ever broke the numbers down. I eat avocado every day and a lot of fatty fish, dairy, etc. I just don't eat a lot of starch compared to other people. If I bike a lot, I have to eat more or I lose weight but I just eat more of the same; I don't scarf down ice cream constantly.

I considered having bariatric surgery at one point-one of the ladies at my office had it a few years ago and lost the weight fast. She's kept it off, too. I decided to get some exercise first, and that worked. I'm no longer eligible to have bariatric surgery, I'm getting pretty close to my goal. I'm glad I didn't get the surgery, even if it has taken much longer to lose the weight.

megimoo

05-27-2011, 01:42 PM

Interesting. I wondered about the Medifast because yet another person at work had bariatric surgery last Fall and she's stalled out now. I always thought it was ironic that weight loss surgery is considered "good" but anorexia, bulimia, and crazy food restriction is considered "bad". It looks to me like the same exact thing, at least initially.

I follow a primarily low-carb diet but I'm sure it's mostly a high fat diet if I ever broke the numbers down. I eat avocado every day and a lot of fatty fish, dairy, etc. I just don't eat a lot of starch compared to other people. If I bike a lot, I have to eat more or I lose weight but I just eat more of the same; I don't scarf down ice cream constantly.
If you want to lose weight just cut all wheat flour from your diet for a start .Most initial weight losses are from fluid so the real bulk of your body takes more time and discipline .

First thing, buy a new digital scale and record your weight every morning before you eat or drink..Compare your progress with a friend who is also dieting .Weight watchers are good way to enforce your progress but for a man it's a bit of a 'hen party' if you hang around after being weighed in .....In a way It's almost like being a diabetic, taking your blood sugar every day at the same time before food or drink and recording it .

I lost weight by a sort of self induced anorexia for several months .The thought of eating any food caused Flu-like symptoms and Nausea so I took only fluids and saltine soda cracker and after losing fifteen pounds my appetite returned !

Gingersnap

05-27-2011, 01:49 PM

If you want to lose weight just cut all wheat flour from your diet for a start .Most initial weight losses are from fluid so the real bulk of your body takes more time and discipline .

First thing, buy a new digital scale and record your weight every morning before you eat or drink..Compare your progress with a friend who is also dieting .Weight watchers are good way to enforce your progress but for a man it's a bit of a 'hen party' if you hang around after being weighed in .....In a way It's almost like being a diabetic, taking your blood sugar every day at the same time before food or drink and recording it .

I lost weight by a sort of self induced anorexia for several months .The thought of eating any food caused Flu-like symptoms and Nausea so I took only fluids and saltine soda cracker and after losing fifteen pounds my appetite returned !

LOL! I don't need to lose weight, Moo. ;)

megimoo

05-27-2011, 02:00 PM

LOL! I don't need to lose weight, Moo. ;)I know that Snapper,It was just a general observation !

Gingersnap

05-27-2011, 02:07 PM

I considered having bariatric surgery at one point-one of the ladies at my office had it a few years ago and lost the weight fast. She's kept it off, too. I decided to get some exercise first, and that worked. I'm no longer eligible to have bariatric surgery, I'm getting pretty close to my goal. I'm glad I didn't get the surgery, even if it has taken much longer to lose the weight.

I wish this gal had taken your approach. She's lost a lot but now hasn't lost any for a month or two and she's very upset. She's also had some complications that have been scary.

Surgical malnutrition just seems so radical to me. No matter how crazy your fad diet is, you can always just drop it. This gal is permanently changed. :(